Istanbul was celebrating the New Year. The citizens of Turkey were hoping for peace and stability. However, in the early hours of January 1, 2017, gunshots rang out in a nightclub in Istanbul, Turkey.

The Reina, a high-end nightclub that boasts a view of the Bosphorus Strait, was not an ideal target for a terrorist attack. It was a place for tourists to experience the high-end, Turkish nightlife. According to one witness, everything was fine before the gunmen started opening fire. Another witness said that “…they began shooting everything.” Security camera footage caught a man (in dark clothing) with an assault rifle entering the club. Later, U.S. and Turkish officials confirmed that this attack was ISIS-inspired and ISIS took responsibility. According to counterterrorism analysts, the club was a prime target. These experts say that the club was a place that 1. represented everything ISIS was fighting against and 2. would yield many casualties.  As of now, thirty-nine people have died and sixty-four are injured.

Terrorism has been a big issue for Turkey, in 2016. Along with the Ankara bombing, attacks from the PKK and ISIS have also wreaked havoc on the country. For Turkey, a symbol of Western ideals in the Middle East, this attack has put the city on high alert. The citizens of Istanbul are waiting with anxiousness and fear.